Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway
by Mugen7
Summary: Sometimes, all you need is a big leap of faith, and a couple of cray-crays to accompany you along the way. [JuErGa].


_**Random Tail #002**_

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**Cana:** So... Jellal was in the Rose.

**Erza:** He was not!

**Cana:** Easy, big girl. He wasn't shopping for himself. You're lucky to have a man who wants to please you.

But, maybe you could indulge him more. Are there areas of intimacy you haven't explored?

**Erza: **Why...? Why do you give me these doubts!

**Cana:** Erza. If you shove your thumb up his arse, I win.

**Mest:** Just... _no_.

**Wendy: **Ew!

**Makarov: **Ahhh, that old chestnut.

**Arcadios:** Ugh, Maker.

**Gray: **Ahem! Mm...

**Cobra: **Hmhmhmhmhm.

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_**\- ref: Dragon Age 2 (banter); Isabela & Aveline Vallen.**_

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**Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway**

**Written by Mugen7**

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It's outrageous...! There has to be something fundamentally wrong with wanting to be thousands of feet up high, on the edge, and thinking, _"__okay, I'm gonna jump off, free fall, and plummet to the earth"_.

"... Juvia is having second thoughts." She cautiously peers over the margin whilst clinging for dear life onto the people who she (regretting with a passion) allowed in bringing her to the top of this infernal skyscraper.

"No turnin' back now, V." Gajeel says to her with a gleeful grin, mighty thrilled to be at the peak of the tower.

She's always known her friend to be a bit of a nut, testing his mettle in just about anything extreme, but this is taking the absolute cake!

"You needn't worry, Juvia." Erza smiles as though there's unquestionably nothing to be concerned about. "We will be with you the whole way down. Promise."

"Juvia should hope so..." she'll be lucky to stay conscious throughout even a fraction of the descent; more likely to faint the moment they take off, she feels. Then again, that might actually be a blessing. Everything downward looks like a painting from so high up, and Juvia fears on becoming a newly added detail to the grandiose, groundwork construct should it all go south. So, yeah. Passing out is all good...

As long as she doesn't wakeup mid-fall.

"This is a big, big mistake," as water is to a fish, she feels a lot like a Pisces who's been pulled from their dwelling, really, really, _really_ wanting nothing more than to return to the safety of their element and have an easier time breathing. "Juvia cannot believe she let the two of you talk her into this."

_"Come BASE Jumping"_, they said; _"__It'll be fun"_, they said. Personally she's of the mind that the pair simply jumped to conclusions.

"Gotta get outta your safe space more, Rain Drop."

Erza chimes in, "Stepping out of it is a great way for people to grow stronger as individuals."

Juvia gives the redhead a sidelong glance. "Juvia is certain there are less... dizzying... means... to help her develop."

She receives a bump to the hip. "Ya never truly live until ya get out of it, y'know."

"Juvia was already living perfectly _inside_ of it, Gajeel." She doesn't see much point in trying to make them see otherwise. This is just another "fuck it" moment for the pair, one she ruefully had a hand in making with the ill-judged proposal of something new for the them to do, knowing full well that they (one more than the other) would be keen and tenacious on her joining in on their next go; being now.

_Taste your words before you speak them, Juvia; taste your damn words_.

She isn't surprised by how intrepid and ready the pair were to jump on her suggestion, but she is surprised, envious even, of how intrepid and ready they are to jump from the top of the tower. This isn't bravery; no sane person does something like this...! But then no sane person would maintain a relationship with two dogged people who are intense by default.

"Trust me, Juvia. It'll all be fine," Erza gives her a comforting squeeze (or what can be construed as "comforting" in the redhead's view, at least). "Once we take off, it won't feel like you're falling at all."

Juvia rolls her eyes; an understatement if there ever was one. "What will it feel like then?"

"Freedom." Gajeel answers, hair billowing in the wind.

"... Hmm," a lovely notion that; "freedom".

She was a grim recluse growing up. So used to hearing the words "boring" and "depressing", and being overlooked at every turn, Juvia often kept to herself, not having much, or at all of, a social life. She would go out and about, do this and that, but it was mostly in the ease and safety of her own solitude, subconsciously fearing to be open with people only to come across as awkward and be avoided and ragged on in the process once her back was turned.

Everyday was the same practice yielding ephemeral satisfaction, with very, _very_ little change to her overall vein. Life, was effectively dull and grey, but gradually became more joyous and bright as day once the rough and tough man, and strong and confident woman entered her world.

Gajeel was just as grim as she was, oftentimes distant himself. But he can be larking like a fox in play, and high-powered, either in regards to music, or talking about his cat; and by "cat", she refers to the black panther he adopted.

_Cheeky lifesaving-toughie_.

And Erza, peppy and awesome as she is, can be both awkward to listen to and look at with her cringeworthy acting and, at times, hellish approach to dance. The funny looks and harsh criticism don't deter her, however; she braves through the tension, driven to seek and try out the next form of enjoyment.

_Erza is... Erza_.

No longer is she living just for the sake it; trapped in the usual comfort of her own head and avoiding the monotonous existence outside of it. Now she experiences new things and makes new memories with the people who steadily drew her closer and closer to the edge of her boundary with each and every encounter.

She was nervous about associating herself with them at first. Living a loner lifestyle for so long Juvia was fretful (and certain) of the two not finding her appealing in the slightest; that they'd find her painstakingly blue and tedious to be around as others have before. Yet to her astonishment, they accepted her, quirks and all.

It all seemed so unreal; still does every now and then. _Her _having _friends_; people who _actually like_ _her_...? Jesus.

_No... Juvia is fairly certain she is not dreaming_.

Now she's here, some years down the line, highly attached to the individuals who (in their own way) genuinely care about her, support her, and now wish for her to jump off a bloody building with them all in the name of "fun".

"Fine..." she sighs, mouth quirking upward slightly into a small smile. "Let's be free together."

"That's the spirit!"

"Attagirl!"

Though their continued optimism and strong presence has triumphed in lifting her mood, Juvia can't help but feel... muddled; unable to make sense of Gajeel and Erza's attire. Excluding their gear, the former stands next to her in a pair of cargos, a shirt, and a long bandanna with embellishment, with the latter finding it wise to dress in nothing more than form-fitting jeans and a sleeveless top.

And then there's herself... in a skydiving suit.

_Clearly there is no one way to dress for this sort of stunt_.

"Alright," Erza points out to the scenery, buzzing with excitement. "It's time to fly!"

"Fallin' with style, ya mean."

"That as well!"

Juvia stares out into the distance, absorbing the sunlit setting. With the expansive blues and crystal whites and high-rise nuance of earthy tones to help her feel stable, a wonderful sense of relief and calm never experienced before sweeps over her, making the blue-haired woman feel at peace and... in control.

"ON THREE!"

Or so she thought.

"W-Wait...!"

"ONE!"

They all tighten their holds on one another as they begin to sway back and forth, Juvia more so constricting the two from an untimely return of dread that causes her to tremble with a rush of uncertainty at the eleventh hour.

"TWO!"

"J-Juvia isn't ready!"

You're not always afforded a perfect opportunity to act. Sometimes, even when afraid, in order to move ahead you just gotta suck it up...

"THREEEEEEE-"

"KYAAAAAA-_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH_!"

And jump.

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**Fin**


End file.
